28o LETTERS TO PROFESSOR WALLACE [CHAP. xxm. 



early that there was no fear of cold setting in, he would 

 very likely undertake the set. Professor Westwood is, as 

 Professor Riley well says, the " Prince of entomologists." I 

 do not suppose any one living has such knowledge extend- 

 ing over all branches of entomology as he has. He is the 

 Hope Professor of Zoology at Oxford, so constantly in 

 practice of lecturing on his own special subject, and very 

 fond of making things clear to young people. He has 

 attended greatly to the economic aspect, and if you could 

 secure him, his lectures as the commencement of the 

 Agriculture Entomological course would give an eclat to 

 the series that nothing else in the whole world would. 

 To say he is Life President of the Entomological Society 

 shows the respect he is held in on all hands. But you 

 would have to be very careful of the good old man, for 

 he never thinks of his 82 or 83 years, and he is not 

 strong, though much more full of spirit than many a 

 younger man. His address is : Professor J. O. Westwood, 

 W T alton Manor, Woodstock-road, Oxford. If you write to 

 him he will think it over and tell you his views. 



July 7, 1891. 



It is very kind of you to give me the copy (received this 

 morning) of your beautiful and so very useful book. 

 [" Agriculture and Rural Economy of Australia and New 

 Zealand."] I have been turning over a good many pages so 

 as to have some idea of the contents before writing to thank 

 you, and I cannot think how you could manage to collect 

 all this very serviceable information there, or rind time to 

 condense it into this clear, readable form here. It is a very 

 valuable addition to my library, and I value it much for its 

 own worth, as well as your kind gift. How very honestly 

 indeed you have acknowledged my little Cockchafer block ; 

 it is quite a pleasure to me to have it in your grand book. 



I hope you have escaped the influenza, or had it favour- 

 ably. It has been a serious visitation to us. My sister 

 and I, and our housekeeper, Miss Hartw r ell, who acts as 

 my amanuensis, were all seriously laid up in our beds at 

 once ! Such a time of misery, and inconvenience ! I 

 should like to write you about sundry matters of interest, 

 but as very likely you are on the other side of the world, I 

 had better postpone them. 



Somewhat Private. 



August 1 8, 1892. 

 I am very sorry to hear of your trouble in the loss of 



